On The Run
by KaylahDemi
Summary: Zim and Gaz broke Dib out of Hapi Place Mental Hospital. To excape the people that would search for him, and therefore Gaz, Dib and Gaz hide out at Zim's base-and, suprisingly, instead of fighting, Dib becomes Zim's friend. Gaz is convinced that Dib is in love with Zim and just doesn't see it. They're just friends, that's all. Isn't it? ZimxDib and TakxGaz I don't own Invader Zim!
1. Mental Hospital

DIB

I was surrounded by what they called "Bording Skool." More like penetentary, I thought. It was basically a crazy house with a friendlier title. It even had it's own needle-wielding doctors! I've been here for only maybe a week, and they already had me taking four pills a day! "To combat my delusions caused by losing my mother" they said. I could barely remember my mother! I was only three when she died in childbirth with Gaz!

Gaz... Even with my sister being fourteen, she shouldn't be left alone at our house for how ever long they will keep me shoved in this place. Someone should be there with her. She'd always had me to do everything for her. I wasn't even sure if she knew where I kept money for food. After mom died, Dad left me to be in charge of a newborn baby while he was gone for months at a time, leaving food for money and nessesities on the table, assured that his three-year-old son and week-old daughter would be fine. So I got stuck playing mommy. Needless to say, I had to take crash parenting classes fast. By age four, I knew how to take care of a baby, clean a house, and knew the whole town layout.

I heard a knock at the door, and looked up out of my reverie. Maybe the white coats had noticed the stash of pills under my mattress from where I shoved them when they weren't looking. Sure enough it was my "guidance counseller" A.K.A. psych doctor. They should really drop the pretenses. All it did was make this place seem better than what it actually was. Behind Dr. Donn, I thought I saw a flash of... pink? Or maybe faded red. I thought about that for only a second before Dr. Donn pulled me out of my reverie.

"Are you seeing something, Dib?" He asked, obviously wondering if I was delusional. I gave him the answer he wanted. Right now, I could very much see no reasons at all to prevent Zim from taking over the world except for the fact that I didn't want Gaz to die. She was basically the only family I had, given my father was never around.

"No, Dr. Donn, I was thinking that maybe I should make my bed." I said, looking over at my sleep-ruffled bed in the corner, then back to my middle aged doctor. His hair was a uniform gray, his eyes a dull brown. Everything about the man was boring, from his slow voice, to his plain white clothes. Even his shoes looked circa 1960.

"Well, that is good, Dib. Are you still dreaming you see aliens?" I bit back my retort, that aliens did exist. I had seen Zim for myself! But if I had any hope of getting out of here and returning to my normal life of trying to expose Zim, taking care of an unappreciative and violent Gaz, and watching over the house, I had better cooperate.

"No. Aliens don't exist. They never did. I was looking for a way to draw attention to myself." I said, my voice robotic.

I hated this doctor. Very much. I wonder if Gaz has even noticed I'm gone. Probably not. She never did care where I went or for how long I was gone. Zim probably noticed the silence and new-found peace of his life, but probably thought I had run scared. Who knew aliens had such over-inflated egos? The only thing that had probably suffered was the house. Gaz had never been one to clean anything that wasn't her room, and she only cleaned that to keep me out of it.

"I am happy to see that you have now realized that aliens do not exist. You are on your way to getting better. Have you been taking all of your pills? They seem to be helping you."

"Yes, I've been taking them. I feel calmer now." I said. Then I saw it again, a flash of that same shade of pink outside the door, and a glint of metal. Was I really becoming delusional? I wouldn't be suprised if this mental house was really driving me mad. No company. Just a white room and white clothes and doctors. I could swear I was starting to go insane being locked in a room all by myself for nine days straight. I didn't even have a tv or any books. They had even confiscated my cell phone! I didn't notice it until I heard the familier funeral durge that signaled that Gaz was trying to call me and I saw it locked in a metal locker in the security office. Gaz was probably wondering where I stuck the food money so she could go get pizza.

After asking a few more questions, Dr. Donn left.

There it is again! What is that pink thing I keep seeing? I watched as a metal spider leg-like object curled around the door, pulling it open with a creak. I thought I saw a familiar purple, but the light reflected from the door flashed over it too quickly for me to tell before it was gone again.


	2. Irritation

ZIM

At skool Monday, I looked at the seat on the opposite side of the classroom in the first row. Where was that smelly hyooman? He had been absent since the Friday before last! Did he run scared from the almighty Zim? That would be good. Yes, it would help my plans. But if so, why did he not declare himself defeated? Wave this hyooman white flag of surrender? Irritation started to claim me. If he truely had run scared, why had he not admitted his defeat? It was normal for the defeated of any race to admit their defeat, no?

After school that day, I went to where I knew Dib-stink's base was, completly full of rage and irritation at the discusting worm-baby. I threw open the door, and Gir ran in before me to go... do whatever it is that Gir does. I took in the sight of my enemy's base. It was dirtier than usual. Whenever else I had come here, it had always been clean. Filthy hyoomans. I heard the repetitive clicking of buttons. I followed the sound to what these humans call their "living room", which confused me as they did not live in it, and I saw the Dib-stink's...sister, he had once called her. What was her name? Ah, yes, that name that meant "Harmful" in Irken, and from what I had seen, a good reflection of the purple obsessed girl.

She was clicking repetitively on a small device in her hands, her purple hair curling in that strange way. She still wore a long-sleeved shirt under a short black dress with purple and black striped tights, but her dress was now more fitted to her thin frame. Over the last six years I had lived on this planet, she had changed, though not my much. Still intent on hating everything and still with a bitter attitude, but her body had changed. She was taller-five foot six, in human measurements, and she had the beginnings of those weird female chest things. Her hips had become more full, her legs more graceful instead of blocky.

"GAZ! What are you doing?" I demanded. How dare she ignore my entrance! She should bow to the amighty Zim!

"Oh, Zim, it's you!" There was a strange emotion in her voice. Panic? Or was it another emotion? I was not very good at telling hyooman emotions. "Have you seen Dib? He's been gone since after skool Thursday!" I saw that the device in her hand was not the Game Slave she had every time I had seen her, but one of those communication devices. A cell phone?

"I should ask you, filthy hyooman! Dib has not destroyed my base in nine days! Is he ill? I DEMAND ANSWERS!"

"I don't know where he is. I can't get a hold of his cell phone. I'm worried. My brother has never left without telling me! What if he got kidnapped?" I watched as this hyooman leaked from the optical sockets like I had seen so many of her kind do. It seemed... unusual for her. For her having a name that meant "Harmful" she looked more like a Des right now or a "Scared One"

I left the crying hyooman to sneak into the Dib-stink's lab, up the stairs, second door on the right. I threw open the door, then scanned the room. No hyoomans were in here. Where has that stupid hyooman gone!

My antennas picked up on an unusual smell. It smelled like... chloraform? That gas that makes humans go into that strange coma state? As far as I am aware, and as I am superior, I should be right, the Dib-stink did not have the proper means to get chloraform. So he has been... taken?

I made my way back downstairs, to where the Gaz-sister was. She had her cell phone-device thing at her ear, but apperently it did not inform her of the wearabouts of Dib-stink was, because she snapped it shut a moment later. She looked up.

"Did you find anything?" She said, wiping her leaking eyes. Yes, she looked very much like a Ren right now.

"Chloraform. Unless this is a very smeetish way to distract me, then your brother has been... kidnapped, you would call it."

"By who? I haven't seen anyone here. Did you check his cameras?"

"Cameras?"

"Dib moniters his room constantly with cameras. We should check them."

"We? What if I do not wish to find Dib-stink? My plans can go undisturbed." I said, even though my plans had come to a halt. My life seemed too serene without Dib-stink disturbing my plans constantly. Too quiet. I had grown very... bored in his absence.

"Because if you don't help me find Dib, I will harm you to where you will wish you had never been born." She said, sounding more like the Gaz I had seen. Except there was a hole in her logic, I had been created, not born. Stupid hyoomans who still relied on ancient methods to reproduce. But the threat was valid. Not that this pathetic hyooman could defeat me, the great Zim, but it would slow my plans.

"Fine. But there is a pass code on Dib-stink's computer." I said, for no other reason than to humor her. I did not want Dib back. Not at all.

Even if my life had become boring in the last week.

"Duh. The password is twelve-twenty-three-nineteen-ninety-six."

"Why? How do these meaningless numbers relate to anything?"

"My birthday. December 23, 1996." She said quietly as we headed up the stairs. She sat in the Dib-stink's computer chair and typed 12231996 into the box on the lock screen.

"Your brother finds you very... intimidating. Why would he have your birthday as his pass code?" I asked. The Dib-stink did not seem to much like his sister. But when I had spied on him, he was either trying to make plans against me, or telling his sister to go her homework and clean her room. Did he make her do this torturous things because he... cared for her? Rather than disliked her, as I had always assumed, by how much she seemed to hate to do this "homework"?

"Maybe it's just because that's the day our mom... you know."

"What is this 'mom' you speak about?"

"You know, your mom. The person who gave birth to you, the person who is supposed to take care of you. Clean the house, cook the food, send you off to school, tell you to do your homework, that sort of stuff."

"Then where is this mother? Is she taking a break? Is that why there are things on the floor?"

"I don't have a mother. She died when I was born."

"Is this normal for your-our species?"

"No. She lost too much blood and she died. Dib does everything a mother would usually do. He always has since I was a baby. I don't remember there being anyone else to take care of me. Dib shops, Dib keeps the house clean, Dib cooks for us, Dib gets me up for skool. Dib acts like a mom to me. He's done that since I was a newborn." I absorbed this new information.

"Three? Don't most sme-babies still require mothers at that point? Who took care of him? I DEMAND TO KNOW!" I yelled, wondering how the Dib-stink had done things that no other hyooman his age had done. This did not sound normal. Hyooman smeet stayed with their parents usually until age eighteen, sometimes longer, did they not? This was giving my superior brain a headache.

"No one. Dad was gone at work. He thought we would do fine on our own."

"Is that not..." I searched for the word. "child neglect?"

"Technically. But we're fine. Dib takes care of everything. But never mind that, I don't know the password for the camera feeds." She said, looking up at me. Her eyes were a strange shade of brown like her brother's, which I could see now that she wasn't going that strange angry squinting thing.

"If Dib-stink was attached to your mother, why not try her name?" I asked, trying to think more like a hyooman rather than a superior Irken. She typed in the name Aleena. It didn't work.

"Maybe my full name?" Gaz said and typed in Gazaline Aleena didn't work, but I was busy thinking of her strange name. Gazaline? This was the hyooman's full name? It was a common Irken name for a female invader. My own full name was Zimogen, meaning "Unusual". It wasn't a good name on Irk. Unusual Irkens were defective and defective meant shameful. Most defective Irkens were killed before birth, as Irkens must be physically and mentally perfect. I had comforted myself with the fact that I had not been adorted before the shock of life. It meant I was perfect.

"Let me try." She got out of the chair and let me sit. I got it on the first try. It was Zim. Predictable hyooman.

I assecessed the proper feeds from when he was taken. I played the video. I could see Dib, in his usual trench coat, black jeans, and combat boots sitting on his bed. His style hadn't changed much. Not even his hair, which still looked like a strange antenna of some sort. I saw as he was laying on his bed, doing his math homework. So this is what he did when we weren't fighting and he wasn't telling his sister to do her homework. I saw two men behind him, sneaking in his room, but he didn't hear them through his earphones. I watched as they grabbed him, then stuck a cloth to his face. He lost countiousness almost immediatly. I payed attention to the company name on their white jackets. Hapi Plase Bording Skool. I knew that name. It was on the edge of town, where the crazy people went to get "better." Who had sent them?

I only barely thought the question when I saw Dib's father, Dr. Membrane, come onto screen. I turned up the volume. He talked to the uncontious Dib-stink.

"Oh, poor, poor insane son of mine. Let's hope you reform in this skool. Obsessing over a strange boy is no way to spend you're years at Hi Skool. Maybe now he will turn to real science, and be my prodigy."

"Good job, guys. Take him back to the Bording Skool. Maybe then he will stop with these delutions of aliens, and turn to real science. If he doesn't, then oh well. I'm sure Gaz can take care of herself. She's twelve now." I was confused. Dib was seventeen, and Gaz was three years younger. So that would make Gaz fouteen. It took a long time for hyoomans to age one year, but to age two in nine days? It did not seem likely. Noting my superior yet confused face, Gaz said "He's never around, so he forgets how old we are. Last time I checked, he still thought Dib was fourteen and I was eleven. Twelve is at least an improvement."

"Do not parents celebrate this age changes with a party? Does he not remember attending?"

"He's only even attended my sixth birthday and my tenth. He's never home. He's only ever been to Dib's first three birthdays because of our mother, and his eleventh because he accidently came home on it. Usually he avoids Dib. As you can tell from the video, he's thinks Dib's insane. So he sent him to Bording Skool."

"What about you? Does he also think you are this... craziness?"

"Crazy? No. Just anger-prone. So, alien, how do we get my brother back?"

"I am hyooman, filthy earth-worm!"

"I know you're not, so drop it. How do we get my brother back?"

"You will do nothing! I will get your brother! He is mine and mine alone to make miserable!"

"He's my brother, Zim. Let me help." She pleaded, but I resisted her inferior pleas.

"NO!"

"I'll...take care of Gir for an entire day." She said, hoping to make me cave. It was pathetic. But an entire day without Gir? I would be able to carry out my plans with no fear of Gir destoying my things. It was a very good deal.

"Fine. Do you know how to drive those... mobile four-wheel things?"

"Cars? Yeah." She said.

"Then you can drive us to the Bording Skool and take care of Gir while I am inside getting your brother."

"Why not leave Gir at your house?"

"NEAR ALL MY THINGS? The last time I tried that, he created a monster thing that nearly ate him! I SPENT A WEEK CLEANING UP!"

"Good point. Where is Gir?"

"I don't know. This information concerns me." I said truthfully.

"Can't you call him? Dib said that you can call him using a microphone in your backpack."

"I do not have a backpack. You mean my PAK."

"Same thing."

"Far off hyooman. My PAK is everything I need. I was brought to life with it on my back. It is much like what you're arms are to you."

"Whatever. Find your dog-robot thing." I reluctantly called my SIR unit with the microphone. He came in running with a taco in his hand.

"I wuz eatin' my taco!" He said, facing me, then proceeded to shove the entire taco in his mouth at once.

"Gir, we are going to go find the Dib-stink-"

"Big head boy?" He asked.

"Yes. And I need you stay with the Gaz-sister." I said, gesturing to the female hyooman. I watched as Gaz turned around, then paused for a second.

"You're my new best friend." He said, jumping on her leg. She picked him up and held him against her hip like a baby. He seemed to really like Gaz. She didn't seem too happy about it, but when I looked away for a second then looked back out of the corner of my eye, I saw her smiling slightly.

"How are we going to transport Gir without him breaking things?" I asked. She was confused for a second, but then went without a word into the garage, coming back with... a car seat for smeets?

"It's mine from when I was a baby. Dib never threw it away in case we could use it later on. I guess he was right." She said, looking sad again. But she quickly snapped out of it, handed me Gir, and snapped the car seat into the back seat of a five-seater Chevrolet Malibu Classic. Gir went to her willingly when she held her hands out to him, but then refused to let go. She strapped him in the child seat after promising to get him a bunch of tacos if he let go.

"YAY! I LIKE TACOS SO MUCH!" Gir screamed, flailing his arms and legs, but the straps kept him firmly in place. I should acquire one of these smeet seats.

"ZIM! Stop ripping up the arm rest! Dib will be mad enough I drove his car, much less that it now has gouge marks in the armrest!" Gaz yelled at me. I removed my razor sharp claws from the arm rest reluctantly. I had left three very deep gouges in the plastic covering and foam.

"You drive too fast!"

"We're on a rescue mission, not a driving test! I will go eighty miles an hour if I feel like it. Besides, I can drive and you can't. What seventeen year old can't drive?"

"I am far beyond that age, filthy hyooman! And I drive a Voot Cruiser, not a pathetic car."

"Well, shut up, we're almost here. And, just so you know, I'm not staying in this car. I'm going inside with you." Stupid lying filthy hyooman!


	3. Excape

DIB

The metal... whatever it was, curled around the door and pulled it open, revealing two familiar-looking shadows.

I recognized the hair on the shorter one, and the two appendages coming out of the head of the taller one.

The taller one had four familiar metal legs coming from his back and had a very thin, almost anorexic, frame, almost as thin as the shorter ones. Black gloves reached mid-forearm, going into a dark pink shirt, with tight black pants and sleek boots.

The shorter one was female, you could see her early teen curves and her shoulder length, strangely styled hair that went into curling points at the end. Her frame was more natural than the taller one's, less anorexic. I could see that her dress was black, with a skull necklace hanging down and her leggings a striped black and purple.

"Gaz? Zim? Is that you?"

"Oh, Dib, it's you! Me and Zim came to rescue you!" It sounded like my sister, but her voice was...happy.

"Am I having delusions? Gaz, why do you sound that way? And Zim wouldn't ever help me."

"I threatened bodily harm. But yes, we're here to save you. And my voice is weird because I'm happy to see you."

"This further proves my thoughts that I am having hallucinations. The Gaz I know wouldn't care if I just up and died." After waiting so long to get out of here, I was now denying my form of escape from Bording Skool.

"Fine, stupid inferior hyooman, let me prove this. The Gaz-sister threatened bodily harm to my person if I did not help her, and while that would not defeat the mighty Zim, it would slow me down. And she needs someone to do this strange mothering thing to her, which she says you have done all her life. Your house, as is common to you disgusting beings, is filthy. There was trash littering the floor. And only I may do you harm, Dib-stink." I debated it for a while. This so-called Zim was calling me a filthy hyooman, referring to himself in third person, is calling me Dib-stink, and is still convinced of his mightiness. It sounded like Zim, all right.

"That sounds more reasonable." I said getting up from my spot. My sister flipped on the lights and before my eyes even adjusted, she was...hugging me? What was wrong with her? Had Gaz been a prisoner of this Bording Skool for the last week and a half as well? Had she been forced to take pills?

"Gaz, why are you hugging me? The last hug I got from you, you were two. And then you tried to strangle me."

"I thought you were gone forever Dib." To my surprise and with a sudden protectiveness over my sister, heard tears in her voice. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you, Dib. I'm sorry I'm so mean all the time. I really am. Pleace don't think I'm a horrible sister, Dib."

"While sometimes you are mean to me, okay, most of the time you're mean to me, I don't think you're a horrible sister, Gaz. Even if you're mean, you're my sister and I love you."

"I never thought I'd say it, Dib, but I love you, too."

"Yes, yes, touching, but we need to leave. Immediately. Before those pathetic guards wake up from the sleeping gas I hit them with." Zim said, sounding annoyed. As usual I wanted to scream he was an alien, but I was thankful they had saved me.

"How did you guys get here? Did you take your ship, Zim?"

"Gir broke my Voot Cruiser two weeks ago. Your sister drove."

"YOU LET GAZ DRIVE? GAZ IS ONLY FOURTEEN! SHE COULD HAVE KILLED HERSELF!" I yelled at him, then turned to my sister, who was now wiping away her tears, "Gazaline Aleena Membrane, I swear you're so grounded!"

"Well, Dibothen Thaddeus Membrane, did you want to stay here all your life? We all know you weren't ever going to stop telling people aliens exist!"

"I did too! Although we both know that aliens exist, I decided it would be better to pretend to be one of these stupid people instead of my much brighter self."

"Yes, happiness all around, but we need to leave. Who's driving?"

"I am." I said. "And, Zim, do not ever let my sister drive again until she is sixteen." I said, as Zim suddenly spun for the door and started walking.

"My Voot Cruiser was broken and I do not know how to drive your hyooman machinery. The Gaz-sister was the only option."

"Fine. Gaz, you're not grounded. But don't do it again, at least not until I teach you. And why did you call her Gaz-sister? She's my sister."

"She is the Gaz-sister, is she not?" He said, emotionless.

I sighed, then tried to explain. "Sister is a word you use to refer to a girl that was born to the same parents as you were. A brother is a boy who was born to the same parents as you were." I explained impatiently.

"Umm, Dib, you might have to explain it further than that. He didn't even know what a mother was." Gaz told me. Really? He didn't even know what that was? Then how did he make those robot-parents things?

"Which I know understand to be much like a slave, but from what I have gathered, does not get paid." He said, using one of his metal legs to open the locker containing my things. He handed them to me and waited as I slipped on my watch and dropped my phone into my pocket, and tucked my normal clothes under my arm.

"Mothers do that because they love their children. They're not forced. Some mothers don't take care of their children. Do you have any sisters or brothers?"

"Males are rare among my species, so a sister would be much more probable." He said, then stopped, probably worried about sharing too much information about his species with us humans.

"So do you have any sisters?"

"Tak was made from the same Irken as me, so I guess you would call her my sister. But DNA relations are irrelevant among Irkens. My parent is unaware of my existence, and Tak is not aware of our shared DNA, as she has no use for the information. I am only aware from searching my DNA in the Irken database. I also have another sister, one named Fey, invader of planet Helten." I stashed this information for later use. But this was interesting. Zim has a sister?

"Aren't Irkens raised with their siblings?"

"No. That is ridiculous. That would encourage bonding between siblings. For example, Tak is currently battling a large beast on another planet. I see no reason to help her."

"But she's your sister. I would do that for my sister!" I said, dismayed.

"An Irken who cannot survive alone should not survive at all. That is the way we Invaders are raised. Only the best of us join the Irken Elite. I was chosen as an Invader so that they may save my talents for a better purpose." I, for the first time, realized just how strict and very uncaring Zim's kind were.

"Are you normal among your race?" I asked, wondering why it was that Zim reflected none of this obviously military-oriented species.

"No, I am far better." He replied. That meant he was different. Realizing we were at my car, I got in the driver's seat, while Gaz went to sit in the passenger seat. I looked in the rear-view mirror, and saw a very exasperated and irritated Gir trying to escape-Gaz's old car seat?

Gir wailed, "NO! I want Gaz to sit next to me! WAAHHHH!" He started throwing a real fit. After we figured the very distraught robot could not be calmed with the offering of either waffles or tacos, which took about five minutes, Gaz just gave up and went to sit in the back seat. The robot calmed down quiet a bit, but started reaching for Gaz as if he wanted to cling to her like a magnet. He started up another fit when he realized he couldn't escape the car seat. I could feel a pounding headache beginning from listening to the robot's high pitched wails.

"Gaz, please just hold him so he'll stop! He's going to get the cops called!" I said.

"Yeah! Listen to the big-head boy! Gazzy, I want you to hold me!" Gir yelled. What had happened in the week and a half I was gone? Had Gaz messed with something in the robot's head? Gaz took off the straps and Gir immediately launched himself at Gaz, curling himself into her arm. Was I crazy, or did Gaz's arm kind of... wrap around him protectively? And why in the HECK was he calling her Gazzy?

"Soo..." I said awkwardly, "How long is Gir's love-fest with my sister been going on?" I asked Zim, but Gaz answered.

"I don't know why. He just saw me earlier and decided I was his new best friend. Now he's acting clingy. Ask Zim why, because I am confused myself." She said as I drove out of the Bording Skool parking lot.

"I do not understand Gir's strange affection with your sister. I think he has a misplaced sense of safety. SIR bots, when insecure, find someone who they feel can protect them." I didn't say so, but I could see it wasn't very misplaced. Gaz was looking like she might try to hurt someone if they touched the robot. A ROBOT. It couldn't even feel anything!

"How long does this last?" I asked, though I saw out of the corner of my eye, Gaz's arm tighten around the robot. Maybe she had a strange sense of motherly protectiveness over the robot? But why? Usually she shunned anything that tried to go near her.

"Until he feels secure." Zim answered simply.

"Which will happen when?" Gaz asked, as if asking how long her grandma had left to live. She obviously, or at least to me, loved the robot like he was a puppy she adored.

"Until I know why he feels this misplaced sense of insecurity, it could last a while. He's already been constantly searching town for over a week for someone to latch onto. He just happened to choose Gaz. NOW YOU MUST DEAL WITH THE ROBOT!" He yelled.

"Couldn't you go a scan on his brain or something?"

"Zim tried to fix his, for lack of a better word, stupid behavior. The new chip made him too smart. HE TRIED TO KILL HIS ALMIGHTY MASTER ZIM! Zim refuses to go near robots brain!" Zim said.

"So he's going to be attached to my sister's arm for months?"

"Possibly longer."

"Why does he-"

"STOP WITH THESE INFERNAL QUESTIONS OF THE ALMIGHTY ZIM!" Zim screamed.

"You promised me TACOS!" Gir yelled. When did we promise him tacos?

Seeing my confused face, Gaz told me, "He wouldn't let go of my arm so I could strap him in the car seat. We promised him tacos." She explained.

She was starting to act more normal, probably trying not to be... happy to have me back. It was a strange thought that Gaz had actually missed me. Although her normality was compromised by the child-like robot attached to her arm, and her arm around said robot.

We went to the drive in for Taco Bell and ordered him six tacos, which he quickly shoved in his mouth.

"Gir?" I asked. The robot could talk and understand, but getting him to focus, I knew, was a troublesome problem for Zim.

"Yes, big-head boy?" He squeaked out, and clung harder to Gaz's arm.

"Are you scared?" I asked simply, remembering from watching the video feed in Zim's base that Gir got confused easily with larger words and more complex sentences.

"YES! Very scared!" He yelled.

"Why are you scared?" I asked. I watched as the usually happy robot tucked his head into Gaz's chest and cuddled deeper into her arms.

"Masta actin' so WEIRD! And big-head boy don't come over no more and Zim actin so mean to Gir!" He said, and stopped talking. I looked over at Zim, confused.

"I was trying to figure out the plan that kept you away from Skool. I might have yelled at the robot a couple of times because he wouldn't go away. I, for the most part, laid my awe worthy body on the couch and didn't talk to Gir. He would find this unusual." Zim had, in the six years he had been on earth, learned to talk more like a human, but his language skills still needed some work.

Suddenly a screen popped up in front of Gir. I was lucky we were stopped in my garage, otherwise I would have crashed. It was from Gir's point of view. The corner of the screen read "GIR MEMORY DATABASE 6/23/12"

I watched the hologram screen as Gir ran up to Zim, who was laying on the couch absently staring at the ceiling. "HI MASTA'! Whatcha DOIN'? Where's da big-head boy!" Gir asked while jumping on the couch next to Zim.

"I don't know Gir! Go away!" He said, and using all of the Irken strength in his five foot nine body, threw the robot across the room and into the wall. I watched as the words "PANIC MODE. Objective: Find life form to protect Gir." It read in big flashing letters. I watched as through the fast forwarded video, Gir searched the town, only interrupted by doing back to the house to charge his battery, where I watched as Zim screamed at the robot and either threw him, or threw objects at him. I had watched plenty of hours of feeds from Zim's base, and he never acted this way towards the robot. I saw the video's from today. Gir's turned towards Gaz, instantly, the screen flashed "OBJECTIVE FOUND: Name of Protector: Gaz Membrane." Then the video shut off.

"Gazzy is gonna protect Gir!" Gir said, and rubbed his head against Gaz's chest. "Isn't ya, Gaz? You's gonna protect me."

"I guess so. Now let's get out. I think we need to have a long talk with dad, Dib." Gaz said.

"No way, Gaz! He'll send me back, and I refuse to let that happen! I am NEVER going back there again! But the first place they'll come looking for me if our house. So I can't stay here. And they'll get the information out of you, Gaz, so you can't stay here anyway." It was Gir who suggested a solution.

"Masta, why can't they come lives at our house? I want Gaz to come stay with us and you and the big-head boy can play fight like always! Everything will be back to normal."

"GIR! WHY WOULD I ALLOW MY ENEMY TO GO IN MY BASE?"

"Gir, you have to go home with Zim. We'll find a place to stay." At my soothing words, the robot started crying. Very loudly.

"But I want Gaz to stay with me! Masta is gonna throw more stuffs at me!" Gir wailed.

"No, Gir, I promise not to throw any more things at you." Zim said, obviously irritated with his robot. Why had he been so silent on the way home? I could tell Zim was very close to snapping.


	4. Last Nerve

ZIM

I was very quickly losing my patience with the robot. He was being much more teary than usual today. But I found that I... did want Dib to stay over at my house. It filled me with a sense of happiness. Then I started panicking.

This was my enemy! What was I thinking? I hated this stupid hyooman! He was VERY inferior! But I must admit, if only to myself, that I did miss his interruptions of my planning. What did this mean?

I felt so... exhausted, so impatient, so stressed out.

"You lie!" Gir said, responding to my promise to not throw anything at him. My last nerve snapped. I had been under so much stress lately, trying to come up with new plans, and Dib being gone, and all these strange... feelings.

"FINE! Gaz, Dib, please come to my house and stay with me so my ROBOT WILL SHUT UP!" I screamed at Gir, breathing heavily. Then I watched as he fearfully buried his head into Gaz's chest. I instantly felt bad. Gir, even though I yelled at him sometimes, and threw things at him, and made him cry, he had been here always for me. And now I was screaming at him, when he was just acting out of response to his panic programming.

"Gir, I'm sorry." I said softly. He didn't even look at me, just clung even tighter to the front of Gaz's dress. When I took a step towards Gaz, who was still holding him, she took a step back and held Gir close. Was I really that bad? Then I felt a wave of... shame. Gir couldn't help acting like this, I scared him and he was reacting this way due to his programming. It wasn't his fault. But I was still yelling at him.

"Don't come near us, Zim. You've already made him upset." Gaz said, glaring very scarily at me. But her glare wasn't the worse thing, it was how bad I felt about what I had done. I turned away, upset with myself.

These last ten days had been war on my nerves, I had to admit, but had I taken out all my emotions on the only one I could, my robot? What was wrong with me? Irkens were mean, yes, but only to those who deserved it. Tak had never screamed at her SIR.

"Okay, we'll stay at your house Zim, and while I'm there I won't go through your stuff." Dib said, sounding like he was trying to calm down the situation, like I was crazy.

Was I? Angry-prone, maybe. Stressed out? Very much. But... defective? No. I had not been aborted before the shock of life, so I must be perfect. I must. The machines were designed to be perfect, to weed out unsatisfactory Irkens. I was completely silent on the way back to my base, only a street away from Dib's house. I must be perfect. To be... imperfect, to any Irken, was the greatest shame, the worst thing to happen.

"We're here." Dib announced. I got out of the car silently, deactivating the guard gnomes with a press of a button on my PAK. It was creepy, to me, to have my enemy and the Gaz-sister, who I had seen crying, to come stay at my house. Gir leaped out of Gaz's arms when we got to the door, then led her to the kitchen.

"I'ma make BISCUITS!" Gir said. But I wasn't really paying attention. Dib looked at me, seemingly concerned.

"Is anything wrong, Zim?" He asked. I spilled what was bothering me before I could stop myself.

"What kind of an Irken am I, Dib? What Irken warrior would let their enemy stay at their base? What sort of an Irken warrior would scream at a defenseless robot who is responding only to his programming? What Irken warrior would ever admit it was wrong to yell at their robot? Why do I feel these emotions? Emotions were eliminated long ago from the Irken race."

"Can emotions even be taken out of a race?" Dib asked, looking confused.

"Of course." I answered. Had is not been done to my race? Emotions just got in the way.

"How?" Dib asked. I was beginning to get irritated with him. I just wanted to go wallow in self hatred and he just wanted more information on my race.

"I don't know. We aren't allowed to question our leaders."

"When did Irkens start being outfitted with PAKs?"

"Around the same time, as far as I am aware. Irkens have carried PAKs since we became the superior race. Before the PAKs, we were a hardly known race. This happened many Irken generations ago. Approximately eight thousand years ago."

"What does your PAK do?" Dib asked, seemingly suspicious.

"It is equipped with technology to help us on our goal of total conquest of all races."

"Why don't you run a scan on it? Maybe I jarred something lose through all our fights and maybe that's why it's malfunctioning." He suggested. Maybe the filthy hyooman was right. I quite possibly may have damaged something in my PAK in all our fights, especially that very physical one day before he was taken to Bording Skool.

"Computer, run a diagnostic on my PAK and tell me what it says." It was only a second before a red light washed over my PAK, then the computer related the results.

"All PAK legs functioning properly, SIR bot communication and video device fine, spinal and brain attachments all intact, regeneration device functioning at full capacity, Emotion Suppressor malfunctioning." I had only been half-listening before the last part. What emotion suppressor? Oh, Irk.


	5. They Lied

DIB

I could see it as Zim connected the dots. He had said that the PAKs came into the picture near the same time as emotions became eliminated. They had probably led the Irkens to believe that the emotions were bred out, instead they were mechanically eliminated.

"They lied. My Tallest lied." Zim said, and I could see he was stunned. I knew he held his leaders to the up most regard and thought them to be perfect. Now he was seeing everything that he had believed be crushed to pieces. Then he became angry. "They lied!" He screamed, then reached back and ripped off his PAK, leaving two holes into his spine open to the air. I noticed how him muscles tensed. It must have hurt. As I had seen from spying before, his PAK was attached to his spine and he just ripped it out. He tensed from the pain, but didn't cry out. It probably felt like ripping off your own arm. I watched as the two holes where the PAK connected to his spine leaked out bright blue... blood?

"Are you bleeding, Zim?" I asked, watching as the blue substance leaked down his back, staining his pink shirt.

"I don't care if I am. My PAK will regener-" He said, then stopped as he remembered he had ripped off his PAK. "Oh well," He said, "I'll just go to my labs and have the computer fix the bleeding..." He stood still for a minute. Then I realized, from years of watching him over video feeds, he would usually use his PAK legs to go to his lab. Now he didn't have PAK legs.

"This is going to take some getting used to. Now I have four limbs instead of eight." He said. But I had a better idea.

"Well, Zim, can't you take the blueprints of your PAK and make a new, better one? One without an Emotion Suppression Device. Heck, you could add more legs to it. Make it regenerate your body faster. Make it be hyper aware of what is happening around you." Why I was trying to help my enemy, I didn't know, but I didn't want to see him this upset.

Then Gir came out of the kitchen, and, unlike all day, was not attached to Gaz, though she did follow behind him.

"Da food's done!" He yelled, waving his arms. He then retreated back into the kitchen.

"I guess we had better go eat before he starts crying again. But I think I will take your advice and redesign my PAK." Zim said. We ate in silence, except for Gir, who was continuously shoving his face with more and more biscuits.

"Gir," Zim started quietly. Gir looked up, stopping in his endless face-shoving of food.

"Yeah, Masta? Why you so sad?" Gir asked.

"I am sad because I have found out some disturbing news. I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for my behavior the last week and a half. I am sorry for yelling at you and throwing things at you." Zim said, sounding truly apologetic. And I bet it was the loss of the emotion suppression thing that allowed him to feel apologetic.

"It's okay, Masta. I know you loves Gir!" Gir yelled, jumping onto Zim and hugging him. Zim, looking very uncomfortable, hugged him back. Then his face sharpened. He turned towards me. I only knew he was looking at me by that strange light in his eyes.

"Dib-stink, I need you to tell me all about these emotion things that I am now experiencing. I need to know what to call each of these new feelings, and how to... know what they are, I suppose." Zim said, obviously confused. It was life he was a totally new person now. No fighting so far, no screaming, acting somewhat calmer. Was this actually what Zim was like? Or was he still just reeling from the shock?

"Okay. I guess this is going to mean a lot of new changes."

"Probably." He stood up. "Gir, stay with the Dib-stink and the Gaz-sister." He ordered, but the command had lost it's usual tone of demand.

"Okay, Masta. Whatcha gonna do now? You's still actin' all weird."

"Please just do what I asked for once, Gir. I have things to do." He said and got into the hidden elevator behind the toilet. I knew he had outgrown being able to go down into his labs threw the toilet years before. Though I had never really noticed it, Zim had grown much taller since he had come here. Maybe it was the gravity. I knew from all my watching of Zim, that when he had come to Earth, he was approximately four foot eight. Very short. I watched as he disappeared into the elevader and down into his labs.

"What's wrong with the alien?" Gaz asked, looking irritated. But when was she not?

"He found an emotion suppressor in his PAK." I told her.

"So?"

"It means that he's been lied to since he was created. Now after having no emotions for all his life, he is now feeling them and it is confusing, I bet."

"Maybe you should go talk to him. He might need somebody to talk to. I know he's the ever-independent Zim who wants to destroy Earth, but right now he isn't the same Zim we've always known." I stopped and thought for a second. He must be very hurt and more than bit confused. For right now, Zim wasn't the Zim I had always hated. Now he had emotions. Maybe now he would be different. I got up from my chair, put my plate in the sink, and took the elevator down to Zim's labs. I had been in here so many times, the layout was familiar. It was as it had been every other time I had come down here to spy on Zim, almost obsessively clean and spotless with boxes neatly stacked in the corner and metal tables gleaming. Maybe that was why he called us "filthy hyoomans." Maybe his race was compulsively neat and tidy.

"What is it that you need, Dib? I am working on a design for a new PAK as you suggested." He said, calm. I realized that, when he wasn't screaming, his English was very good. I wondered why he still mispronounced the word human, though. Maybe out of habit. I walked over to where he was standing, at another silver table with his PAK on it. He was using a laser to open a compartment to examine the insides so he could replicate it.

"I was going to ask if I could help. I could give you ideas, and I learned a lot about Irken technology from Tak's ship." I told him.

"Well, I could use help. And I needed to ask you some questions." Zim said, for once his voice calm.

"Ask away, Zim. I'm probably going to be on the run for a while."

"Why is it I feel this bad feeling when I reflect on how I have treated Gir recently?" He asked, setting down the pen laser he was holding.

"I guess you're feeling ashamed. Now that you reflect on what you did, you realize you shouldn't have treated him that way. You are ashamed that you did it and are regretful that you did it."

"What is regretful?" It was like talking to a little kid, but I could guess I'd be pretty confused, too, if I'd had emotions for only ten days.

"Where you think back on something, and you wish you hadn't have done it."

"That is what I am feeling. And I suppose my sadness at my actions is this ashamed feeling?"

"Yes. But what you are is ashamed, but you are feeling shame. Does that make sense?"

"It is confusing. All Irken words are the same for any sentence. None of this ridiculous past tense and present tense or anything as such."

"Can you give me an example?" I asked, curious to learn about his native language.

"In English, you would say 'He walked here an hour ago.' In Irkenian, it would be 'He walk here past time.'" He said, looking happy that for once he was reverting things into his native tongue instead of into English.

"So words never change, no matter how you use them?" I asked, trying to grasp the concept.

"Exactly." He said, looking happy that I understood. "Can you hand me that crow bar?" He asked. I handed it to him.

"What else? I find your language very fascinating." I asked, excited.

"There are no possessive nouns. Instead of says 'that is Gaz's', you would say 'Gaz own.'"

"Really? that is pretty cool. Any other differences?"

"Not really many big ones, minus the fact that every Irken that is not a Tallest are called a shortened version of their name, the shortened version of which is always three letters. Irkens are named for their personalities."

"What does your name mean? And what is your full name? Why are your names shortened?"

"My name means 'unusual' in Irken and is a very rare name, my full name is Zimogen and our names are shortened to show that we are not worthy of longer names. To be called Zimogen would announce that I am of very high ranking. Like your hyooman terms of sir and mister, except much more importance. More like President."

"Your Tallest are named Red and Purple, right? So why is Red's name only three letters?"

"Though given the same respect, Purple makes the last decision."

"So Red is second in command, basically?"

"You could say so."

"Exactly how tall are your leaders?"

"Six feet, three inches in human measurements."

"So you're pretty tall then? For your race?"

"Yes. I hope I do not grow anymore. I do not wish to be ruler of Irk and the rest of the empire. It fills me with a feeling that makes me want to run and hide myself."

"That feeling it called being apprehensive. And why not?"

"I have always wanted to be an Invader, since my creation." I grasped at this new information.

"Well, couldn't you say no to being the Tallest?"

"No. It is a forced promotion, you could say." We worked on his new PAK all night like this. I asked him the questions that had always bugged me and he, in turn, asked me about emotions. I found that when he wasn't yelling, and we weren't fighting, I liked being around him.

"You said you wouldn't let Gaz get hurt, did you not? Why is this so?"

"Why I won't let my sister get hurt is because I love my sister. Love is another emotion. When you love someone, you don't want them to get hurt, you want the best for them, and you will protect them. I've raised my sister since she was born, and I love her." I tried to explain. But love wasn't ever really something you could explain, it was something you felt in your heart.

"Why do you love her? She is mean to you. She doesn't appear to care for you." Zim said, trying to understand this emotion so very polar opposite to all he had been taught all his life.

"She does care for me. She came to rescue me, didn't she? She threatened you until you said you'd help her come and get me. Why did you come and get me?" I asked curious. If there's anything I know, he would rather be hurt by my sister than to ever come to my rescue. He must have some other motive.

"Because I've been... bored, I think that would be the emotion. I couldn't work. I didn't want to watch TV. I didn't want to spy on the town. I found many things to do, but none that I wished to do. I realized that fighting with you took up more of my time than anything else I do."

"It takes up a lot of my time, too, actually. Probably more than yours. I spend all day on my computer trying to find ways to stop your plans or spying or fighting with you." I said, smiling. Even if it was brutal fighting, it was... fun. Invigorating. Much like while other guys my age played football and baseball and soccer, I fought with Zim.

"Why do we fight?" Zim asked, confusing me for a second.

"Because you want to destroy Earth and I don't want it destroyed." I told him, saying it like someone would say "the sky is blue."

"I have to. My Tallest sent me here to destroy this planet. I wish I wouldn't have to. I like this planet. It has those strange green things that grow."

"Plants?" I asked stunned. What planet didn't have some sort of vegetation?

"I haven't seen any before. Irk is purely industrial. All gray factories and building plants."

"Has it always been that way?"

"For thousands of years." Zim told me. Wow. I couldn't imagine earth without some sort of greenery around. But I felt something else towards the alien... Friendship. This was the beginnings of a friendship, I was sure.


	6. Friends and Girlfriends

DIB

"Ugh. Why don't you just start making out with him?" Gaz said three days later. I had spent the last three days spending most of my waking time in Zim's lab, helping him with his new PAK. It was almost finished, he was constructing the case. While I told him everything I knew about emotions-what each one felt like, how to tell which one he was feeling, and helping him understand them-and he told me about Irk-what it was like there, the language, how they were raised, why he acted this way or that. I had gotten very good at speaking like an Irken would. My language sometimes mirrored Zim's now. I had even accidentally called myself Dib. Zim started laughing. Gaz just left the room, Gir following behind her. Probably finding the good humor in the room unbearable.

"Gaz, what does it matter to you if I talk to Zim? That we are friends?" I asked. It seemed confusing. Me being friends with Zim would ultimately mean that Gaz would have me away from her more and not bugging her. That was good, right?

"Friends? Yeah, right, Dib. Don't lie to yourself."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"Forget it, Dib. You'll see soon enough." What was she talking about? And why would I make out-Oh. She thought I was having the hots for Zim. No. I liked talking to him, which we talked near constantly now, but to love him? No. I am pretty sure I am straight. I've never ever looked at another boy, much less an alien. Not really girls either, I was always too obsessed with Zim to pine after girls.

"I'm not gay, seriously. Just because I have a friend for once does not make me gay."

"No, it makes you annoying. But whatever. Go have fun with your boyfriend, Dib. Leave me alone." Gaz walked quickly up the stairs off of the kitchen, and I heard a door slam. Zim's house had five bedrooms, even though there was only him and Gir. I hadn't seen Zim's room, it the the farthest one on the left. Gir and Gaz booked together because Gir wouldn't let her do anything else. I had the room next to Zim's on the left, a red room with normal furniture. Gir's room was the same color as his eyes and had random stuffed pigs everywhere, along with other random objects. Gaz's dark clothes and bags stood out like a neon green shirt at an emo concert. I went to my room, walking past a Gir who was running around in circles. The room felt like it was actually mine. It my dad's house, I felt like I was a guest living there. My laptop was always in it's case, my clothes always put away in my drawers neatly, my bed always made. Like I was settling in someone else's room, even if that room had been mine since I was born. I had only been at Zim's house for four days, and it already felt more like home to me. I didn't have to care when my dad was coming home. I didn't have to worry if he would remember and send money for food and things we needed. I didn't need to worry if my sister and I would be taken away by CPS. It was as stress-free as I have ever been. It felt... nice. Very relaxing.

"Dib?" Zim said, stopping a few feet back from my door.

"Yeah, Zim?"

"Why are we not fighting? Fighting is what we usually do, isn't it?" He asked, confused. The Zim I knew now wasn't the Zim I had known. That Zim had made me angry and irritated. This one made me laugh and joke around.

"What is the name of this relationship we are in? You sister sees it as negative, so I can tell."

"I don't know why she feels that way, but we're friends. Friends like spending time with each other and talking and joking around. Friends help each other out and are there for each other when you need it. Friends keep secrets and talk to you about what worries them."

"I was mostly aware of what a friend is. But why share secrets? To share secrets would eventually lead to them getting out. Irkens keep all their secrets. It is unheard of to ever tell a secret of yours to another. It would leave the other person open to share your secrets or use them against you." Sometimes, talking to Zim was just like talking to a human, like when I talked about how pretty the sunset was, he seemed completely human, but other times, all of a sudden, I would hear something that reminds me that my friend is an alien, with different beliefs and customs than me.

"Sometimes, the people you call your friends aren't really your friends. But, every once in a while, you find a friend who wouldn't ever dream of telling anyone else your secrets. Sometimes, it feels like we're from the same place. Other times, you really are an alien on a strange planet."

"You are the alien, Dib. You probably view me the same way I view you. To me, your customs and ways are so different from my own that I don't understand. I don't get why you find it good to care for someone besides yourself, why you find it okay to tell your secrets, and why you would die to save your sister. To me, these things are outlandish. Completely insane. But you're helping me to understand." Zim said. I tried to think about it that way.

"Well, why don't we act like foreign exchange students? You teach me about your culture and I'll teach you about mine." Zim smiled. It looked kind of evil, but... pleasant.

"Why not? Not to lose." Zim said, reverting his words purposely to Irken English, as we had begun to call it.

"You are right, not to lose."

"How about we begin with some of what I already know-teach me Irkenian." I told him. It was one thing that had made me more curious than anything else- how those series of clicks and hisses and other weird sounds meant anything.

"Let me teach you complete Irken English first. It will make Irkenian much, much easier. Remember the example I gave you when I was trying to tell you about how words never change in Irkenian?"

"He walk here past time." I told him, repeated what he had said to me three days ago. "Of course."

"Try to put this is Irken English: 'Purple is Gaz's favorite color.'" He said.

"Um... 'Gaz like purple, purple is favorite.' I guess you would say."

The Irken smiled widely. "You remembered that Irkens don't use pronouns." I frowned, confused. I hadn't intentionally not used pronouns. I had just tried to say it like Zim would, back when I was twelve, and he never used the word "I." Weird as it was, I had always liked how he spoke. It seemed very eloquent, I guess you'd call it.

"Well, I guess you've got that part down." Zim said as we both walked to the living room, before being interrupted by Gaz.

"Well, look, it's the lover boys." She said, her voice sour. She was always in a bad mood when I hung out with Zim.

"Gaz, really? Don't be jealous that I have a friend and you don't." I told her. After her apology for always being mean to me at Bording Skool, she had reverted back to her normal hatred of me.

"I did have a friend. YOU guys blew her into space!" Gaz said, clutched her fists at her sides and looking up at me angrily. With her being much shorter than my six foot two height, she didn't scare me. When we were younger and she was only two inches shorter than me, she seemed a lot scarier.

"Please. I've never seen you hang around with anyone-Wait, who did we blow into space?" I said, suddenly confused. I couldn't remember ever blowing anyone into space. But by the shocked look on Zim's face, I could tell he got what she said.

"Tak? You were friends with Tak? Tak was crazy! Wait-when did you start talking to that stupid being?" Zim asked, his voice going higher and louder. Now he sounded more like the old Zim.

"Um, you stupid alien, Tak is your sister!" Gaz said sarcastically. "And she was my friend! While you guys planned a way to get her off Earth, we were talking! Duh! Despite what you believe, Dib, I can make friends!"

"When did you ever spend any time with her? Wasn't she busy with her plans to destroy Earth?" I asked.

"No. She already had all her plans made and had robots to construct the device thing." Gaz said.

"Well, she was crazy. You don't need friends like that. She tried to destroy Earth!" I pointed out.

"Well, Zim's been trying to do that for the last six years and you're friends with him!" I had to admit she had me there.

"It's different." I said, stubborn.

"You're such a hypocrite, Dib! Me being friends with Tak is not okay, while you can be best buds with the guy who's tried to kill us all since you were twelve!"

"FINE! Whatever, Gaz, how about we bring your crazy friend back to Earth?" I yelled. Instead of more yelling, which I expected, Gaz stopped cold and shot me a blinding smile, one that made me think of all the pictures I have seen of my mom. She then launched herself at me like she did at Bording Skool and hugged me. Twice she had hugged me. Twice! In a week!

"Really, Dib, you mean it? You will?" Gaz said, smiling up at me. She then continued with her hug fest. After a minute, I peeled myself away, noticing a sharp tug on my sleeve.


	7. Girlfriend

"Gaz, please hug your brother later, if this plan is to become reality, then we shall have to work." Zim said, his voice holding an edge of urgency. Gaz quickly let go of me, then ran off, Gir at her side.

Zim tugged me along at a quick pace, so fast to where I was stumbling. His hand on my wrist was tight, but not to where it was unpleasant. As he tugged me along, he started going faster, his sharp and pointed nails now digging into my skin.

"Ow! Zim, stop going so fast! And your nails are very sharp, you know!" I told him, and he slowed somewhat, but was still tugging me along at a brisk pace, his nails still digging into my wrist. He stopped abruptly in the middle of his lab.

"This-problematic. Much, yes. Problem many." He said in short, urgent sentences. I didn't get it. If we kept Tak under close surveillance, then she shouldn't be able to do anything very bad, could she? Besides, I would do practiacally anything to get my sister to stop hating me all he time, even if it meant endangering Earth.

"How is this problematic?" I asked, confused.

"Dib past slight promise Gaz bring Tak back." It took me second to understand. Then I tried to make it sound relatively understandable. I um.. past slight... just! Okay, I just promised Gaz that I would... bring Tak back to Earth. Okay. So why was this a problem?

"Is something wrong with that? I want my sister to be happy." I asked, wondering what was the matter.

"Yes but your sister likes my sist-Tak, a lot more than you think!" Zim said, panicked.

"Yes, they're friends, friends tend to do that." I said, wondering if his new PAK was fully functional.

"No-they-like much more-UGH! Just watch these videos!" Zim quickly got into his computer chair and spun towards his computer. He loaded a video clip onto his computer as fast as he could click on it. I watched the beginning. It was Tak and Gaz in the park, talking, just like Gaz said.

"Gaz, we are friends, right?" Tak asked, seemingly confused. I now knew from talking to Zim so much that Irkens had problems identifying what was something, especially when classifying something as a relationship name, like friends or aquantances or things like that. And also with defining emotions like friendship, hate, love, irritation, every emotion.

"Yes..." Gaz paused and looked down. She looked shy. When was Gaz ever shy?

"Yes?" Tak prompted in her British accent.

"But I want to be more than friends, Tak. I like you a lot." Tak seemed taken back, but regained composure. She smiled, and, for once, I saw a little bit of Zim in her features. She had the same evil-yet-pleasent smile.

"I like you too. More than what you have defined as a friend." Tak said.

"I.. I want you to be my..." Gaz trailed off, losing bravery quickly.

"You want me to be your...?" Tak proded.

"Girlfriend. I want you to be my girlfriend." Gaz said, looking up at Tak for only a second before dropping her eyes to the ground.

"Yes, I'll be your girlfriend, Gaz." Tak said. Gaz looked up and smiled, grabbing Tak's hand. Then the video cut out. Girlfriend. Tak had been Gaz's girlfriend.

Suddenly, everything made sense, just like it does in the movies. That was why Gaz was so moody lately! She saw me with her girlfriend's brother, being happy, while the person she liked or maybe even loved was off floating in space. That was why she had locked herself in her room after we had shot Tak into space. That was why the first time I had seen her after that, she had brutally attacked me.

I went downstairs in a daze. What had I done without knowing? My sister had been happy, for once, and I had sent th person who made her happy into space. Why didn't she tell me? I saw Gaz, sitting on the couch. At my dazed and confused expression, she tensed.

"Why didn't you tell me that you and Tak were dating?" I said. She still looked tense.

"You wouldn't approve. I know you hate aliens and dating Tak would mean I'm a lesbian xenophiliac. Being lesbian is frowned apon and being attracted to aliens is out and out creepy. I figured you'd be like Dad and hate all homosexual people like me or be like I know you would be-hate all people who like aliens, much less people who are attracted to them like me. So either way you're going to hate me now and never speak to me again." I was suprised that Gaz was being so open with me. I didn't care if she was lesbian. That part didn't matter. Or that Tak was an alien. It was the fact the Tak tried to destroy Earth.

"Look, Gaz, I don't care if you're lesbian, that's fine with me and I don't care that Tak is Irken. Heck, Zim is Irken too and he's my best friend. I just don't want her to blow up Earth. I don't much care for everyone else, but I didn't want you to die because you are basically the only family I have." I said. Gaz laughed a little bit.

"If it's any condolence, Tak said she'd take me with her." She said, and we both started laughing. After a couple minutes, I went to go see why Zim had been so spazzed out because Tak was Gaz's girlfriend.

After a while, Gaz asked "But how did you know that Tak was my girlfriend?"

"Zim had a video of you guys together in the park."

"That's all?" Gaz asked, looking tense again. That immeadiatly spurred my older brother reflexes into action.

"That had better be all, Gaz, or your grounded and Tak's going to get a talking to when me and Zim find a way to bring her back to Earth!" I said, my voive raising slightly.

"NO! Dib, we didn't have sex! God, I was twelve! Tak is older than me, but in human terms she's only sixteen!"

"When she was here on Earth or now?"

"Now! She was fifteen in human terms when she was here. Irkens age one year for every two earth years."

"She is right. I am thirty-six in human years, but in maturity, I am only eighteen. Tak was created four years after me. Fey is fourteen in human years." Even as interesting as it was, it didn't deter me.

"Gazaline Aleena Membrane, you had better not have done anything with Tak or I will-" She cut me off.

"God, Dib, the furthest we ever went was a kiss! God!"

"Good. Even when we bring her back, I don't want anything to be happening! You're fourteen Gaz."

"Yes, Dib, I'm well aware of how old I am! I know I'm too young to be having sex. Just, please, shut up."

"I'm sure that Gaz already is of knowing of what she is not to do, but there is probably nothing to worry about anyway. Besides, mating was eliminated centuries ago, when the Tallest interduced the emotion represser. Opon my dessection of my emotion represser, I also found a small part of it that repressed any need to mate. Irkens, all except me, as I made myself a new PAK, are, for lack of a better synonym, asexual."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Then, Zim, you better make Tak a PAK like yours with no repesser stuff or I'm going to die! I won't hsave sex at fourteen, but I do want to hae sex eventually!"

"As Tak cared for you, I am positive that her emotion represser is malfunctioning. Tak, like myself, should have the erge to mate." Zim said, his face almost the same blue as his blood. He was blushing.


	8. Blushes

"After so many centuries of being mechanically reproduced, do Irkens even know how to mate?" Gaz's question left both me and Zim spluttering. Impossibly, Zim's face went a brighter blue.

"Yes, of course Irkens know how. It is instinct, is it not?" I watched as Zim spluttered and hurried over the simple sentences. Even my face was starting to heat up from this topic. It was interesting, though, that I had to admit. I had never known that before I had damaged his PAK that he had never had the urge to have sex. After puberty, I had the normal urges to have sex just like everyone else that was my age. I was still reeling over that. No urge? At all? Ever?

"JUST ASK YOUR QUESTION ALREADY!" Zim yelled suddenly at me, scaring me.

"Like never? Ever? In your life?" I asked. But seriously. EVER?

"Never. I've never even admired the other sex. Or the same sex."

"But you do now, right?" Gaz asked. Zim flushed a light shade of blue.

"There are no other Irkens on Earth. To be attracted to anyone here would make me a xenophiliac."

"Duh. I know that. Are you? It isn't impossible seeing as Tak was attracted to me."

"I haven't been looking. I'm still trying to distinguish emotions." Without another word, Zim left toward his labs, probably trying to escape Gaz's awkward questions. I followed him.

"That's a lie. Even I can tell you that. You're like a teenage boy, which meaning you're about as sex crazed as a sixteen year old is. You've been looking at humans. Admit it. Whether you like them or not, I don't know, but I know you've been looking." I said as we hurried down the stairs, him a few steps ahead of me.

"Please, please, please, just stop talking about it." Zim pleaded, not turning around, though I could see that his face was still blue. We stopped in the middle of his lab like a little while ago.

"It's not like I'll care. What's it matter? Who you like is who you like." Zim turned around, and I could see he was debating telling me something.

"You said friends told each other things, right?"

"Yes."

"I-I am attracted to humans. But I'm-I'm not attracted to all the humans. One sex of humans has always repulsed me more so than the other with their strange mood changes." I thought I knew what he meant.

"You're gay? You like human guys? I don't care. You're my best friend and it'll stay that way no matter what you tell me."

"Are you gay?" He asked suddenly, making me pause a second.

"I don't know. I've been too obsessed with stopping you for all of my teenage years." I had never stopped to look at girls. Never paid attention to them. To me they were way too whiny, way too dramatic. I like simplicity. I liked to know where I stood. But that being said, I had never looked at girls in a sexual way. So, apperently, I wasn't straight. But I hadn't looked at guys either. Males, in general, tended to be way too into sex to think about anything else. But I wasn't asexual. Was I?

"You don't know what you are." Zim stated, a little bit too close to me for comfort. His face, though shorter than mine by almost a half foot, was less than a foot from my face, staring up at me. The intense look he was giving me made me shiver. I had never been much about religion or anything like that, but I felt like he was staring into my soul. He stepped just a couple inches closer. I looked down at him, yet felt like he was bigger than me, five inches shorter than me, with my being over six foot. Sad to think about it, but I felt slightly intimidated by him. My build was what most would consider lean, like a runner, and even with Zim being both smaller in build and shorter than me, I was pretty intimidated. It seemed like he knew was I was thinking, because she stepped just a few inches closer. He was only about a half a foot away from being chest to chest with me now.

"Now that I think about it, no. I've always just stalked you. Never went on any dates. Never any crushes." I said. I thought about that for a moment, before remembering something else. Okay, I purposely changed the subject. "How are we going to get Tak back to Earth? Where exactly is she?"

"Venus. Faring rather well considering how ubruptly she was launched off Earth. It would take maybe four hours round trip to get to Venus in my Voot Cruiser. I just need to fix the Voot Cruiser, as Gir smushed mashed potaotoes in the engine. If we worked together, it shouldn't take but an hour at most to fix."

"Good. But won't she be mad that we launched her into space?" I asked.

"She will most likely try to annilate Zim for blowing her into space, yes." Zim said. I smiled. It was sort of... cute, in a way, when he called himself Zim.

I looked at my watch. "It's nearly nine now. I say we go to bed now, then start in early tomarrow morning. If we worked hard, we could have Tak here by midday tomarrow.." I truthfully just wanted to get away from him for the moment. His invasion of my space just a minute ago had really shook me for some reason. And what creeped me out even more is that I just used the word cute to describe Zim.


	9. Love not Allowed

"She's been alone for two years with nothing but Mimi. I'm pretty sure she'll be happy to see us. And once we tell her that we've come to take her back to Earth to Gaz, I bet she'll be happy. But will she even love Gaz any more? It's been two years." I said, worried about my sister's potential heartbreak.

"Irkens are very reliable in their emotions. We do not change our feelings easily." Zim said. It was true, from what I had seen.

"Good. I don't want Gaz getting hurt." I said truthfully. My sister was as everyone else saw her-mean and uncaring. But I had known Gaz when she still hugged me every day and I held her when she cried or when she had nightmares. They saw the mean Gaz. I saw my sister. The sister I taught to ride a bike, taught to count, taught to button up her own coat.

"I'm not anxious for the return of Tak to Earth. I think that instead of monitoring her, we shall pose a deal with her." Zim suggested, cocking his head slightly to the side and folding his arms behind him. It looked innosent from the outside, but I could tell he was unaware of what he was doing and more with his thoughts.

"What were you thinking about? How are we going to warn her?" Right now we seemed like comrades, together with a goal in mind and a plan in the works.

"Tak loves Gaz. Tak has obviously not liked being blown into space. I say that if we find out she's planning anything against us or to destroy Earth, she's be shot into space no matter what Gaz says."

"I'll-I'll go tell Gaz that." I shuttered. Gaz would kill me if I even dared to reshoot Tak back into space.

"Or, better yet, I have another idea. Tak landed on Venus with her Voot Cruiser. The communication device on her Voot was not destroyed. It can still recieve signals, and, given how barren of shelter Venus is, she will most likely be using it as a shelter."

"So we can talk to her using it?"

"Exactly. Apperently you are not the stupid hyooman I once took you for. I was thinking that we could talk to Tak and tell her we're coming so Tak doesn't destroy us when we come into her sight."

"Better yet, suprise her. See if she has any plans aboard her Voot Cruiser that point to her wanting to harm us."

"I could hack the communication device allowing us to see around the inside of the Voot." It took Zim only minutes to hack the system, and it further raised my hopes that Tak still loved Gaz when her password was "Gazlene" Her ship was almost the same as Zim's, except with a the same purple as her eyes as an accent to the silver metal instead of pink. Tak was sitting at her chair, with Mimi in her lap, as a cat. Tak was looking at a picture of Gaz, then sighed. Mimi shed her holographic cat disguise and now looked more like Gir, except more advanced. Mimi frowned and hoopped off of Tak's lap.

"Stop mooning after that human, Master. You wish to be an Invader, Tak, do you not?"

"Yes, Mimi, I do. You know that." Tak said, still staring at the picture of Gaz.

"Do you know what the Tallest will do if they find out that one of the most promising Irkens to ever be put into training has fallen in love? But not only have you fallen in love, but to someone outside your species. To a GIRL, no less! When Irkens still mated all those years ago, they fell in love with the other sex, not their own! You and Gaz, although being different species, are both female. Females do not mate. They do not love each other. But a human!"

"I don't want to hear this again, Mimi." Tak said, but Mimi ignored her.

"Look at human morals! They have none! To them it is acceptable to love another of your own sex. You were raised by your Computer, just as every other Irken smeet, yet you show none of the results of it! You should have been created human, not Irken! You are more like their species than yours!" Tak finally reacted to her words. Tak backhanded her from her spot on her chair, then got up.

"You go too far, Mimi. Remember who is the master here. You, Mimi, are a robot. May be I don't act like an Irken should, but I don't want to! Yes, I know that Irkens are not supposed to love another of their sex, much less someone their sex of another species, but I do."

"It's been two years. Shouldn't you at least move on? We will probably never be able to get back to Earth. You'll probably never see Gaz for the rest of your years. Besides, you can never truely love her. Her brother would kill you, have you autopsied. ZIm wouldn't take too kindly to you either."


	10. Kisses

I pressed the button in Zim's keyboard that allowed my voice heard and face to to be shown in Tak's ship. She turned towards the screen. "Tak, I know that Zim and I did shoot you into space. I also know that you were in a relationship with my sister. I don't want Earth to be risked further by bringing another Irken to Earth, but, for the sake of my sister's happiness, if you wish, Zim and I will come get you from Venus. But, you can not make any plans to destroy Earth or, despite how much my sister will hurt me, I will send you back to Venus."

"Dib? Is that you?" Tak asked, staring at her screen.

"Yeah." I was a bit confused. I haven't changed that much in two years. Same shaped glasses, same hair, same honey colored eyes. Suddenly her words rushed out like a torrent, like a broken dam.

"I don't care about destroying Earth anymore, or hurting Zim, I just want to be back with my girlfriend."

"I want some information." I said. I was making this up as I went, but I wanted to know.

"Yes?" She said, seemingly eager and willing to tell me what I wanted.

"What all did you do with my sister in terms of physical contact?" I asked. My big-brother reflexes were fully engaged. I would, at all costs, keep Gaz safe.

"Held hands, kissed, and did what Gaz called 'make-out.'" She said, her words again rushing out, spilling almost too fast for me to understand.

"So that is why she was being so...tense about what we saw."

"I don't understand why Gaz seemed to not want you to know about our making-out?"

"She was twelve, Tak, she did not need to be making out with anyone. Do you know what sex is?" I asked her.

"Yes, sex is the mating of humans."

"Don't have sex with my sister until she is at least eighteen."

"I'll consider it, but first I need to know, why do I keep feeling these strange-feely things?"

"Feelings? You bumped your pack really hard. Zim is having the same problem. Maybe your broth-he could help you."

"Brother? Nonsense. Irkens do not breed, therefore do not have brothers." Tak said, sounding much more like the Irken I knew.

"Our jia is the same. We are, as Gaz and Dib are, siblings. But we share none of these feeling things for each other. You die and Zim will be pleased." Zim told her.

"Same for you, Zim." Tak replied. Some siblings just never connected. "I don't care if you hate me, just get me back to Earth. Please. I love Gaz, and I'll do anything to get back to her."

"Are you planning to destroy Earth when you get here?" I said.

"No! Like I said, I just want my girlfriend back. Believe it or not, Dib, but I love your sister." At this point, Tak looked nearly in tears. I was shocked. The Irken seemed so unstoppable-so confident. And she was nearly in tears. I watched as blue collected around her large purple eyes. "I just want to be with Gaz. You may think Irkens can't love, and until I went to Earth, I couldn't but please, Dib, I love her, I do, I really do!" Now she was full out crying. I watched as a tear from her left eye made its way down her mint green cheek.

"Okay, Tak, it's okay! I'm going to bring you back to Earth. You just can't make plans to destroy it."

"I won't, please, just please, let me be with Gaz again. That's all I want. Take my ship, take everything, take my PAK for all I care, but just let me see Gaz!" Tak looked ike she was about to rip out her antenna.

"Umm... Tak, you might want to let go of your lekku before you damage them." Zim said, staring at her like she was crazy.

"Just hurry." She said.

"We'll be there tomarrow. We need to repair the ship."

"Dib, hand me the wrench." Zim said, I handed it to him, my fingers touching his on accident. He sat on his feet.

"Have you thought of what I said, Dib?" I didn't know what he meant.

"About your sexuality." Zim said, then added, "because I wonder about human sexuality." he said this like it was an excuse. I shot him a funny look before answering honestly.

"No. Why?" Zim sighed and stood up, turning around to look at me. He was again invading my personal space. He looked up at me, having to crane his neck to do it. I was almost a half foot taller than him. he sighed again, seeming to be convincing himself to do something. Then he suddenly leaned forward very fast. He presed his lips against mine. I didn't move. Didn't think. He continued kissing me for more than a half minute, then pulled back.

"I wanted to know your sexuality because I think I'm in love with you." I just blinked.

ZIM

Why wasn't he saying anything? Not talking? I had the sudden urge to cry. Rejection. That's what he had told me it was. I hadn't lied. This wasn't a plan to take over Earth. Over the last few days, I-I think I'm starting to fall in love with Dib. Dib-stink. Worm-baby. The one with the brain-worms. My enemy. But enemy no more.

"Dib? What do you say?"

"I-Wow, Zim. You-you like me?"


	11. Gaz, Get Out Of My Lab

"I-Wow, Zim. You-you like me?"

"Yes."

"I think I like you too. I thought we were just good friends, but I really like spending time with you and-" I didn't let him finish. I kissed him again. The one kiss led to something more and I was pretty sure we were doing what the humans called making-out. Dib pulled back, breathing heavily.

"Why are you breathing so heavily? Humans always do that."

"It's just something humans do." Dib said breathlessly, smiling. This time it was him who started the kiss, leaning forward fast and pressing his lips to Zim's. I kissed him back, digging my nails into the side of his neck, hard enough I was sure there'd be marks. It was Irken custom-mark your love. Much like the human hickey, showing that someone was with them, showing he was owned. He was Zim's.

DIB

I noticed the pain on my neck. Even though Zim's gloes, his nails were very sharp. I pulled back slightly. "Ouch. You hurt my neck." I said, running my hand over the left side of my neck, noticing three pained spots from Zim's nails.

"I was marking you. You are mine. No one may have you but me." Zim said, saying this like it was common knowledge. I smiled.

"Marking me?"

"Yes."

"If you can mark me, can I mark you?" I asked, and without waiting for an answer, I pulled Zim by his shirt closer to me, and started sucking on a spot below Zim's jaw. Zim let out a little gasp. I continued, and when Zim moaned, he stopped sucking on the green skin and bit down, hard enough to leave a bruise, just like the bruises on my neck. I pulled back, looking into Zim's eyes.

"You're mine too."

Zim looked up at my with a strong emotion in his eyes. I was not quite sure what it was. Zim pressed his lips to mine, pressing his tongue against my lips. I parted my lips, tangling my tongue with Zim's. The kiss got more intimate when I reached under the Irken's shirt to hold his bare hip and Zim reached his hands to rest in my dark hair. I used Zim's hips to lift him onto the table just behind him, putting him closer to being my height. Gaz burst in the room.

"Stop making out! When will Tak be here?"

"Tomarrow. Now leave."

"I want her here sooner, Dib! NOW!" She yelled, glaring at me. Zim hissed slightly.

"Leave. Now. GET OUT OF MY LAB!" He yelled, and she turned and left immediatly. I pressed my lips to Zim's once more, smiling. This led to something more, as I felt one of Zim's very sharp nails drage down each of my sides, and from the neck hole of my shirt to the bottom of the sleeves. I didn't realise what was happening, as my mind wasotherwise occupied by the soft feel of Zim pressed against me, until my shirt fell in two peices to the floor. I pulled away from ZIm, unlocking my lips from his, to starre at the peices.

"You just tore up my shirt." I stated, as if I was stating the weather.

"Sorry." Zim said, breathless, but didn't seem very sorry.

"Don't be. It was going to come off anyway." I said, and pressed my lips to his once more, with more passion.

"My shirt next?" Zim asked, pulling back for only a second.

"I thought you'd never say it." I said, feverishly pulling him's shirt over his head.

"Pants?" I asked Zim, looking down to see a bulge.

"Please." Zim said, moaning as I trailed my hands across his erection. No boys, no girls, no humans. Just Zim. Zim is all I'll ever want. I didn't waste much time thinking before I was pulling down Zim's pants and boxers, and taking them completly off. Zim did the same thing to Dib's pants as he had done to his shirt, and shredded them.

"Zim, are you sure you want to go through with this?" I asked him, pausing to look up at him.

"Yes. I want you, Dib." They continued into a loving and gentle yet passionate and lust filled romance, which neither realised would change them as it did.


End file.
